Transformation - Annual Report 2015 - The Harris Center | Page 10
BLUEPRINTS FOR THE FUTURE
We are proud of the progress we made during this fiscal year, and
are happy about the lives that felt the positive impact of our work.
We also celebrate the increased attention to mental health. The
urgency for appropriate supports for mental health and intellectual/
developmental disability (IDD) needs is ever present in our community.
The Harris Center is committed to providing the highest quality of care for the
individuals we serve. We are adapting to the growing community need, reaching more
lives and enhancing our service to each person.
As part of this effort, we participated in the Review of Harris County Mental Health
Systems Performance by the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute.
In Fiscal Year 2015, The Harris Center was selected as one of 16 sites across Texas to
participate in a statewide trauma-informed learning collaborative. Through this pilot
program, our vision is to transition to a heightened sense of respect, awareness and
understanding among the mental health and IDD community by advocating for change
in the way we view and respond to trauma.
We began preparing for a quality improvement initiative that will extend to every area of
our Center.
We will outline details of these and other improvement efforts in future publications.
Challenges and growing pains were present during this fiscal year. Key areas of our
IDD programs, like Early Childhood Intervention and Applied Behavior Analysis,
endured budget cuts while the waiting list for home and community based services
in Texas showed little improvement. Recruiting and hiring psychiatrists and licensed
professionals of the healing arts is still a competitive battle across the state, as the
need for mental health care and IDD supports continues to grow.
These and other challenges highlight the changing and demanding landscape in which
we operate today. It also intensifies our dedication to serve individuals with the best
care possible. We envision further carrying out this mission in Fiscal Year 2016 and are
devoted to helping bring positive transformation to every person we serve.
8 | The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD